WEBVTT

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 Malachi chapter 3 starts from verse 16.

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 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another.

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 The Lord paid attention and heard them,

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 and the book of remembrance was written before him

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 of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.

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 They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts.

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 In the day when I made up my precious possession,

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 and I will spare them as a man,

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 and spare his son who served him,

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 then once more you shall see the distinction

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 between the righteous and the wicked,

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 between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

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 For behold, the day is coming,

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 burning like an oven,

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 when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble.

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 The day that is coming shall set them ablaze,

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 says the Lord of hosts,

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 so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

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 But for you who fear my name,

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 the son of righteousness,

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 shall rise with healing in his wings.

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 You shall go out,

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 leaping like calves from the store,

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 and you shall tread down the wicked,

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 for there will be ashes under soles of your feet.

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 On the day when I act,

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 says the Lord of hosts,

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 remember the Lord of my servant Moses,

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 the statues and rules that I commanded him

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 at Horeb for all Israel.

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 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet

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 before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes,

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 and he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children

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 and the hearts of children to their fathers,

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 lest I come and stride the land

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 with the decree of utter destruction.

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 This is the word of the Lord.

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 Well, good morning everyone.

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 Question to get you all thinking this morning.

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 Is judgment negative or positive?

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 Both.

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 It always has to be...

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 Well, yeah, okay, that's both.

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 All right.

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 Our society, I think you're right,

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 our society almost invariably sees judgment as negative.

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 I think that's why, you know,

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 the common protest of society these days

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 is don't judge me.

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 That assumes that any sort of criticism

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 or challenge is negative

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 because it's a restriction of personal freedom,

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 a restriction of the right to pursue happiness

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 as people see it.

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 But imagine this.

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 Imagine you're a parent

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 and you're walking down the road

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 and your child starts to bolt across a busy road

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 into oncoming traffic.

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 And you just lean forward

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 and you yank that child roughly back,

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 yelling at them,

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 don't ever do that again,

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 it's so dangerous.

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 Your child might well think

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 that judgment was rather negative.

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 But from your perspective,

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 it was actually positive.

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 It was life-saving.

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 So yes,

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 judgment very much depends on the intent

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 and the context

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 in which it occurs.

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 And that's a really important perspective

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 to bring into Malachi.

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 The end of Malachi's prophecy,

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 particularly,

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 because judgment is dominant.

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 But it's also the end of the Old Testament

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 where judgment is dominant.

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 If you look at chapter 4, verse 6,

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 that very last phrase,

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 lest I come and strike the land

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 with a curse

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 or with a decree of utter destruction.

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 Now that seems like somewhat of a rather

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 negative statement

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 to end up the whole of the Old Testament,

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 end up this prophesy of Malachi.

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 Malachi.

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 Effectively, this is God's last word

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 until we hear from the Gospels

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 when Jesus comes into the world.

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 Yet simultaneously,

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 Malachi

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 measures on the theme of hope.

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 So if you look at chapter 4, verse 4,

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 there's another decree

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 that the Lord urges his people to remember.

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 And that is,

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 and it doesn't come out in the English version,

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 but it's remember the decree

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 of my servant Moses,

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 the decrees that I commanded him at Horeb.

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 Sorry, it should have been

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 remember the law of my servant Moses,

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 the decrees that I commanded him at Horeb,

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 or Sinai,

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 for all Israel.

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 And if you go back to that decree,

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 that was the Ten Commandments.

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 That's loosely what this refers to.

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 And the Ten Commandments were that

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 which were born out of God saying,

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 I have now entered into a relationship with you.

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 I will be your God

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 and you will be my people.

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 And this is what our relationship

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 will be framed by.

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 And this is what it will look like.

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 This is what the good life

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 under my love and under my rule

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 will look like.

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 So side by side

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 with judgment and curse

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 is hope.

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 Judgment and hope.

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 So we need to think of judgment and hope

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 like conjoined twins.

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 God's judgment promises

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 both destruction

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 to those who continue to rebel.

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 And we'll see a bit more of that

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 from chapter 3 verse 18.

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 Or chapter 4 verse 1 rather.

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 Promises destruction

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 for those who continue to rebel

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 and healing, renewal

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 to those who esteem

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 and honour his name.

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 Both happen simultaneously.

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 One event,

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 two very different outcomes.

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 Malachi, therefore,

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 may be the end of the Old Testament

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 but certainly not the end

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 of God's story of salvation.

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 We find, we get to the end of Malachi,

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 that there has to be a sequel.

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 There's more of the story to come

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 where judgment and hope

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 will move to a final climax

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 as the Lord judges sin

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 and heals his people

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 and renews them to worship him

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 as he deserves.

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 So the question I want to take

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 with us into the text now

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 is why does hope

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 need to be there so buoyantly,

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 so much in your face

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 as we finish up with this

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 threat of curse?

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 Well, the answer is because

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 God's healing,

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 God's healing intervention

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 is so desperately needed.

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 So right through,

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 over four weeks now,

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 we've seen what's happening here

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 in Malachi.

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 The Lord, through Malachi,

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 is forcing his people

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 to recognise

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 the awful state

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 of their relationship.

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 It was a relationship

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 in name only, really,

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 as far as the people

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 were concerned.

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 And the Lord's forcing them

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 to see how empty

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 and shallow it is.

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 Why?

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 That they might recognise

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 once again

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 the desperate need

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 for God's radical intervention

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 to save the relationship.

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 We've seen over three weeks

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 that God's covenant faithfulness

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 was beyond question.

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 We started

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 with covenant faithfulness.

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 I have loved you,

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 said the Lord.

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 He had loved them uniquely.

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 He had loved them exclusively.

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 He had loved them generously

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 over generations.

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 Last week we saw

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 in chapter 3, verse 6,

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 the sheer fact

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 that the people of Israel

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 still existed

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 was all the evidence

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 you needed

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 of God's love.

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 Equally true,

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 but in sharp contrast,

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 their covenant unfaithfulness

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 was beyond question.

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 We've seen that again

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 over three weeks.

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 Essentially the Lord said,

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 you have spurned my love

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 at every point.

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 Chapter 3, verse 7,

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 we looked at it last week.

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 From the days of your fathers

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 you have turned aside

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 from my statutes

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 and have not kept them.

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 But,

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 they've thrown God's love

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 back in his face.

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 They'd chased other lovers

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 to follow the metaphor

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 through here.

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 They'd chased a good life

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 apart from God.

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 Still booked

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 taking the relationship,

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 but deep down

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 their hearts were devoid

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 of any respect

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 for the Lord.

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 And certainly devoid

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 of any affection for Him.

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 And then again,

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 we bounce again,

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 God's faithfulness

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 was beyond question

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 in response to that.

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 God says,

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 being true to His character,

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 you will experience

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 my righteous character

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 in judgment.

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 You see,

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 God takes Himself

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 very seriously.

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 He will not allow

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 Himself to be treated

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 with contempt.

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 Back in chapter 1,

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 verse 14,

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 we saw that verse,

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 He says,

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 For I am a great king,

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 says the Lord of hosts,

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 and my name

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 will be feared

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 among the nations.

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 Chapter 1,

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 verse 11,

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 For from the rising

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 of the sun

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 to its setting,

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 my name will be great

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 among the nations.

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 And in every place,

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 incense will be offered

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 to my name,

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 and a pure offering.

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 God takes Himself

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 very seriously.

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 And if people

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 don't respond

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 as they ought

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 to God's love,

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 mercy,

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 and grace,

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 then God says,

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 you'll experience

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 my covenant faithfulness

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 in a different hue.

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 You'll experience it

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 in judgment.

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 Both are covenant faithfulness.

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 Both reveal

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 my covenant character.

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 And if you experience

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 my judgment,

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 then either that will be

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 in partial judgment,

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 and the partial judgment

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 we saw last week

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 in chapter 3

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 was disciplinary

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 and correctional

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 or restorative.

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 Or,

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 says the Lord,

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 we'll see in chapter 4,

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 verse 1,

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 you'll face

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 my judgment

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 ultimately

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 and final.

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 that is punitive

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 and condemnatory.

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 So,

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 where are God's people

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 in all of this?

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 Well,

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 if you look at chapter 3,

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 verse 18,

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 God's people

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 are found out.

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 They knew

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 that God's judgment

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 would bring division.

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 But they'd come

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 to believe

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 that that division

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 would be along

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 racial lines.

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 On the one side

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 would be Israel

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 and all the other

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 nations on the other side

00:11:22.700 --> 00:11:23.320
 and all the other

00:11:23.320 --> 00:11:24.180
 nations would get it

00:11:24.180 --> 00:11:24.620
 from God,

00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:25.300
 get it in the neck

00:11:25.300 --> 00:11:25.700
 from God

00:11:25.700 --> 00:11:26.400
 and they would be

00:11:26.400 --> 00:11:26.800
 preserved.

00:11:29.700 --> 00:11:30.460
 But the Lord

00:11:30.460 --> 00:11:32.500
 doesn't say it like that.

00:11:33.800 --> 00:11:34.560
 The Lord says,

00:11:34.660 --> 00:11:34.820
 yes,

00:11:34.860 --> 00:11:35.280
 you're right

00:11:35.280 --> 00:11:35.920
 and there will be

00:11:35.920 --> 00:11:36.320
 division.

00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:37.720
 And in a sense,

00:11:37.800 --> 00:11:38.400
 you are right.

00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:39.500
 I will look at

00:11:39.500 --> 00:11:40.080
 my nation,

00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:40.460
 Israel,

00:11:40.560 --> 00:11:40.900
 different from

00:11:40.900 --> 00:11:41.400
 the other nations.

00:11:41.400 --> 00:11:41.720
 But,

00:11:41.920 --> 00:11:42.500
 ultimately,

00:11:42.680 --> 00:11:43.240
 the divide

00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:44.180
 in my judgment

00:11:44.180 --> 00:11:44.720
 will be between

00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:45.800
 those who fear me

00:11:45.800 --> 00:11:48.120
 and those

00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:48.980
 who don't.

00:11:49.060 --> 00:11:50.080
 Those who serve me

00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:51.620
 and those who don't.

00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:52.920
 Those who esteem me

00:11:52.920 --> 00:11:54.400
 and those who don't.

00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:00.800
 We saw last week

00:12:00.800 --> 00:12:01.759
 in the first part

00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:02.040
 of this,

00:12:02.460 --> 00:12:03.420
 looking at judgment

00:12:03.420 --> 00:12:04.259
 and God's intervention,

00:12:04.740 --> 00:12:05.700
 that God's judgment

00:12:05.700 --> 00:12:06.280
 on his people

00:12:06.280 --> 00:12:07.440
 would be severe

00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:08.440
 but partial.

00:12:08.560 --> 00:12:09.080
 We had those

00:12:09.080 --> 00:12:09.920
 metaphors

00:12:09.920 --> 00:12:11.700
 like the refiner's fire.

00:12:12.620 --> 00:12:13.960
 And that's serious heat

00:12:13.960 --> 00:12:14.920
 to melt down

00:12:14.920 --> 00:12:15.520
 ore

00:12:15.520 --> 00:12:17.040
 and float off

00:12:17.040 --> 00:12:18.000
 all the dross.

00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:18.779
 And the whole idea

00:12:18.779 --> 00:12:19.519
 of that is that

00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:20.559
 in the old days

00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:21.500
 the refiner knew

00:12:21.500 --> 00:12:22.240
 it was perfect

00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:24.039
 when he could see

00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:24.879
 his own reflection

00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:25.440
 on the top

00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:25.899
 of the metal.

00:12:28.039 --> 00:12:28.740
 That's a really

00:12:28.740 --> 00:12:29.480
 lovely metaphor.

00:12:29.940 --> 00:12:31.019
 That was serious heat

00:12:31.019 --> 00:12:31.620
 the Lord's going to

00:12:31.620 --> 00:12:32.440
 bring to his people.

00:12:32.860 --> 00:12:34.120
 But it was designed

00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:35.200
 to discipline,

00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:36.220
 to bring them back,

00:12:36.299 --> 00:12:36.820
 to purify,

00:12:36.940 --> 00:12:37.740
 to bring them back

00:12:37.740 --> 00:12:38.559
 to himself

00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:39.080
 so they might

00:12:39.080 --> 00:12:40.320
 worship him

00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:41.659
 in spirit and truth.

00:12:41.659 --> 00:12:47.740
 And in chapter 2

00:12:47.740 --> 00:12:48.379
 verse 2

00:12:48.379 --> 00:12:49.600
 we saw two weeks ago

00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:51.279
 the Lord says,

00:12:51.699 --> 00:12:52.299
 outs his people

00:12:52.299 --> 00:12:52.839
 by saying look

00:12:52.839 --> 00:12:54.219
 you've gone through

00:12:54.219 --> 00:12:54.899
 all the motions

00:12:54.899 --> 00:12:56.579
 of serving me

00:12:56.579 --> 00:12:57.480
 but here's the real

00:12:57.480 --> 00:12:58.399
 problem for you guys.

00:12:59.059 --> 00:13:00.259
 You've not set

00:13:00.259 --> 00:13:01.000
 your hearts

00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:01.879
 to honour me.

00:13:02.959 --> 00:13:03.860
 The heart of the problem

00:13:03.860 --> 00:13:05.000
 was the problem

00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:05.600
 of the heart.

00:13:06.699 --> 00:13:07.480
 And God knew

00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:09.339
 that his children,

00:13:09.539 --> 00:13:10.079
 his people

00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:11.920
 were unable

00:13:11.920 --> 00:13:13.500
 and unwilling

00:13:13.500 --> 00:13:16.020
 to obey him,

00:13:17.100 --> 00:13:18.100
 to respond

00:13:18.100 --> 00:13:19.120
 properly to his love.

00:13:21.280 --> 00:13:22.800
 And since that's true,

00:13:25.020 --> 00:13:25.820
 God's people

00:13:25.820 --> 00:13:26.300
 needed

00:13:26.300 --> 00:13:28.160
 the real hope

00:13:28.160 --> 00:13:29.340
 of God's intervention,

00:13:29.520 --> 00:13:30.220
 of God's healing

00:13:30.220 --> 00:13:35.400
 if God's judgment

00:13:35.400 --> 00:13:36.660
 in a final form

00:13:36.660 --> 00:13:37.440
 was not to settle

00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:37.940
 upon them.

00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:39.920
 Chapter 4 verse 1

00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:40.659
 the day is coming

00:13:40.659 --> 00:13:42.539
 burning like an oven

00:13:42.539 --> 00:13:43.679
 when all the arrogant

00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:44.699
 all evildoers

00:13:44.699 --> 00:13:45.419
 will be stubble.

00:13:46.819 --> 00:13:48.179
 The day that is coming

00:13:48.179 --> 00:13:49.639
 shall set them ablaze.

00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:51.819
 There's a wildfire coming.

00:13:55.299 --> 00:13:56.099
 God's people

00:13:56.099 --> 00:13:58.099
 need serious

00:13:58.099 --> 00:13:59.279
 intervention,

00:13:59.779 --> 00:14:00.439
 serious help,

00:14:00.579 --> 00:14:01.219
 serious healing.

00:14:01.220 --> 00:14:07.200
 the sort that only

00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:08.300
 the Lord could deliver

00:14:08.300 --> 00:14:10.480
 to reformat them

00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:11.360
 from the inside out.

00:14:11.560 --> 00:14:12.000
 If the problem

00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:12.580
 was a heart,

00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:13.879
 then they needed

00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:14.779
 new hearts.

00:14:15.920 --> 00:14:16.840
 And all the prophets

00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:17.379
 before him

00:14:17.379 --> 00:14:17.960
 had spoken of

00:14:17.960 --> 00:14:18.860
 this same problem

00:14:18.860 --> 00:14:20.660
 and offered

00:14:20.660 --> 00:14:21.440
 the same hope

00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:22.000
 that the Lord

00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:22.720
 would intervene

00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:24.220
 and renew hearts

00:14:24.220 --> 00:14:25.300
 so his people

00:14:25.300 --> 00:14:26.259
 could worship him

00:14:26.259 --> 00:14:27.360
 as he

00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:28.720
 expected them to

00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:29.440
 and wanted them to.

00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:29.779
 Amen.

00:14:31.220 --> 00:14:31.960
 So God's

00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:32.680
 intervention

00:14:32.680 --> 00:14:33.460
 is seriously needed

00:14:33.460 --> 00:14:34.019
 but secondly

00:14:34.019 --> 00:14:34.980
 God's healing intervention

00:14:34.980 --> 00:14:35.720
 would be just

00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:36.440
 what is needed.

00:14:37.700 --> 00:14:38.540
 Surprise, surprise.

00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:40.080
 It's tailor made

00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:41.620
 to what is needed

00:14:41.620 --> 00:14:42.399
 in the situation.

00:14:43.500 --> 00:14:44.720
 Chapter 4 verse 1

00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:45.000
 again.

00:14:45.700 --> 00:14:46.639
 God's intervention

00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:47.600
 is pictured

00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:48.560
 as one day.

00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:50.340
 But the metaphor

00:14:50.340 --> 00:14:51.200
 gets mixed up a little

00:14:51.200 --> 00:14:51.820
 because there's two

00:14:51.820 --> 00:14:53.019
 types of fire in here.

00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:54.480
 There's a fire

00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:55.480
 like a wildfire

00:14:55.480 --> 00:14:57.000
 that just consumes

00:14:57.000 --> 00:14:58.100
 everything before it

00:14:58.100 --> 00:14:58.600
 and then there's

00:14:58.600 --> 00:14:59.139
 the fire

00:14:59.139 --> 00:15:00.159
 that's associated

00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:00.980
 with the sun,

00:15:01.100 --> 00:15:02.040
 the rays of the sun.

00:15:04.040 --> 00:15:04.960
 One's consuming,

00:15:05.620 --> 00:15:06.620
 one's restorative.

00:15:08.360 --> 00:15:09.300
 Both are controlled.

00:15:10.120 --> 00:15:10.740
 So when we think

00:15:10.740 --> 00:15:11.500
 of a wildfire

00:15:11.500 --> 00:15:12.440
 we often think

00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:12.700
 of something

00:15:12.700 --> 00:15:13.460
 being out of control.

00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:14.100
 Well that's not

00:15:14.100 --> 00:15:14.740
 the picture here.

00:15:15.100 --> 00:15:15.720
 A wildfire

00:15:15.720 --> 00:15:16.860
 is the heat

00:15:16.860 --> 00:15:17.360
 of the thing.

00:15:18.940 --> 00:15:19.540
 It burns,

00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:20.300
 if you remember

00:15:20.300 --> 00:15:20.820
 last year

00:15:20.820 --> 00:15:21.399
 the wildfire

00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:22.740
 swept through Tasmania.

00:15:23.240 --> 00:15:23.779
 There were some

00:15:23.779 --> 00:15:24.480
 places where

00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:25.960
 the soil was burned

00:15:25.960 --> 00:15:27.560
 down six inches deep

00:15:27.559 --> 00:15:28.519
 all the organic

00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:29.279
 material was burned

00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:30.339
 out at a depth

00:15:30.339 --> 00:15:31.039
 of six inches.

00:15:31.559 --> 00:15:32.000
 There was never

00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:32.419
 going to be anything

00:15:32.419 --> 00:15:33.219
 to recover from that.

00:15:34.259 --> 00:15:34.919
 That's the sort

00:15:34.919 --> 00:15:36.439
 of serious fire,

00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:37.679
 the consuming fire

00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:39.079
 that's been spoken here.

00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:41.219
 But it's not out of control.

00:15:41.899 --> 00:15:42.899
 It is precisely

00:15:42.899 --> 00:15:44.559
 as the Lord

00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:45.899
 means it to be.

00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:46.679
 It will deliver

00:15:46.679 --> 00:15:47.379
 the precise

00:15:47.379 --> 00:15:49.539
 and distinct outcomes

00:15:49.539 --> 00:15:50.479
 that the Lord

00:15:50.479 --> 00:15:52.019
 means it to deliver

00:15:52.019 --> 00:15:54.019
 for God's people,

00:15:55.559 --> 00:15:57.039
 for those who fear

00:15:57.039 --> 00:15:57.559
 his name.

00:15:58.439 --> 00:15:59.559
 Look at chapter 3

00:15:59.559 --> 00:16:00.240
 verse 16.

00:16:02.620 --> 00:16:03.399
 Then those

00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:04.419
 who feared the Lord

00:16:04.419 --> 00:16:05.500
 spoke with one another.

00:16:08.459 --> 00:16:09.139
 The Lord

00:16:09.139 --> 00:16:09.939
 paid attention

00:16:09.939 --> 00:16:10.939
 and heard them.

00:16:12.860 --> 00:16:13.319
 And a book

00:16:13.319 --> 00:16:13.939
 of remembrance

00:16:13.939 --> 00:16:15.039
 was written before him

00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:15.899
 of those who feared

00:16:15.899 --> 00:16:16.240
 the Lord

00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:17.000
 and esteemed

00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:17.599
 his name.

00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:20.179
 They shall be mine,

00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:21.620
 says the Lord

00:16:21.620 --> 00:16:21.959
 of hosts,

00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:22.299
 in the day

00:16:22.299 --> 00:16:22.939
 when I make up

00:16:22.939 --> 00:16:23.899
 my treasured possession

00:16:23.899 --> 00:16:24.840
 and I will

00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:25.799
 spare them

00:16:25.799 --> 00:16:26.379
 as a man

00:16:26.379 --> 00:16:27.519
 spares his son

00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:28.740
 who serves him.

00:16:32.899 --> 00:16:33.779
 We have a group

00:16:33.779 --> 00:16:34.559
 of people here

00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:35.120
 in amongst

00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:36.519
 the vast

00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:38.340
 part of God's people

00:16:38.340 --> 00:16:39.379
 who have got

00:16:39.379 --> 00:16:40.199
 no affection,

00:16:40.419 --> 00:16:41.740
 no esteem for God.

00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:43.139
 We've got a group

00:16:43.139 --> 00:16:43.860
 in here

00:16:43.860 --> 00:16:45.600
 who

00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:47.419
 still do fear

00:16:47.419 --> 00:16:47.779
 the Lord

00:16:47.779 --> 00:16:50.120
 and who are

00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:51.139
 talking with one another,

00:16:51.299 --> 00:16:51.620
 presumably,

00:16:51.620 --> 00:16:52.679
 to encourage

00:16:52.679 --> 00:16:53.240
 one another,

00:16:53.560 --> 00:16:54.220
 to keep on

00:16:54.220 --> 00:16:54.940
 fearing the Lord,

00:16:55.259 --> 00:16:55.940
 not to go

00:16:55.940 --> 00:16:56.500
 with the flow,

00:16:57.500 --> 00:16:58.379
 to keep on

00:16:58.379 --> 00:16:59.259
 esteeming him

00:16:59.259 --> 00:17:00.539
 or valuing him

00:17:00.539 --> 00:17:02.419
 as a first order.

00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:07.720
 People who,

00:17:07.940 --> 00:17:08.400
 chapter 3

00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:08.859
 verse 18,

00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:09.579
 who desired

00:17:09.579 --> 00:17:10.380
 to serve God

00:17:10.380 --> 00:17:10.960
 because he was

00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:11.619
 worth serving.

00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:15.640
 For this group

00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:16.119
 of people,

00:17:17.339 --> 00:17:19.500
 God's judgment

00:17:19.500 --> 00:17:20.599
 would result

00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:21.939
 in perfect righteousness.

00:17:22.379 --> 00:17:22.839
 It would be

00:17:22.839 --> 00:17:23.480
 the healing

00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:24.759
 they long for.

00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:29.139
 In chapter 4

00:17:29.139 --> 00:17:29.339
 then,

00:17:29.659 --> 00:17:30.659
 we get the metaphor

00:17:30.659 --> 00:17:31.099
 continued,

00:17:31.199 --> 00:17:32.099
 the son of righteousness

00:17:32.099 --> 00:17:33.119
 shall rise with

00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:34.219
 healings in its wings.

00:17:36.579 --> 00:17:37.579
 The picture here

00:17:37.579 --> 00:17:38.539
 is of the sun

00:17:38.539 --> 00:17:39.139
 rising.

00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:41.159
 And what happens

00:17:41.159 --> 00:17:41.759
 when the sun rises?

00:17:41.859 --> 00:17:42.339
 Well, firstly,

00:17:42.699 --> 00:17:44.059
 it brings to an end

00:17:44.059 --> 00:17:45.740
 the dark night.

00:17:46.699 --> 00:17:47.359
 So the picture here

00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:49.159
 is the son of righteousness.

00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:50.180
 God's intervention

00:17:50.180 --> 00:17:51.140
 is going to bring

00:17:51.140 --> 00:17:52.060
 to an end

00:17:52.060 --> 00:17:53.560
 that long,

00:17:53.800 --> 00:17:54.720
 dark night

00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:55.620
 of sin

00:17:55.620 --> 00:17:56.920
 and misery

00:17:56.920 --> 00:17:58.400
 and disobedience

00:17:58.400 --> 00:17:59.000
 and struggle.

00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:05.740
 That very stuff

00:18:05.740 --> 00:18:06.300
 that marked

00:18:06.300 --> 00:18:07.300
 the life of God's people.

00:18:08.040 --> 00:18:08.820
 And as the sun

00:18:08.820 --> 00:18:09.400
 comes up,

00:18:10.100 --> 00:18:11.440
 it's a fresh day,

00:18:11.540 --> 00:18:12.500
 a fresh start

00:18:12.500 --> 00:18:13.400
 in righteousness.

00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:13.480
 righteousness.

00:18:16.280 --> 00:18:16.540
 Now,

00:18:16.680 --> 00:18:17.300
 I suspect

00:18:17.300 --> 00:18:18.200
 that's a very easy

00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:18.840
 picture for us

00:18:18.840 --> 00:18:19.540
 to engage with.

00:18:19.620 --> 00:18:20.320
 At least I find it

00:18:20.320 --> 00:18:20.920
 really easy

00:18:20.920 --> 00:18:21.720
 to engage with.

00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:23.960
 Having been out

00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:25.360
 camping under the stars

00:18:25.360 --> 00:18:26.060
 many a night

00:18:26.060 --> 00:18:27.080
 when it's been

00:18:27.080 --> 00:18:28.720
 seriously cold,

00:18:29.100 --> 00:18:30.060
 perhaps even wet

00:18:30.060 --> 00:18:32.220
 and there's nothing

00:18:32.220 --> 00:18:32.720
 nicer

00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:34.100
 than the sun

00:18:34.100 --> 00:18:34.519
 coming up

00:18:34.519 --> 00:18:35.140
 over the horizon

00:18:35.140 --> 00:18:35.900
 and immediately

00:18:35.900 --> 00:18:37.800
 you just feel

00:18:37.800 --> 00:18:38.519
 its warmth

00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:40.180
 and suddenly

00:18:40.180 --> 00:18:41.160
 you just feel

00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:42.180
 lifted,

00:18:42.180 --> 00:18:42.620
 don't you?

00:18:43.960 --> 00:18:45.259
 It's a fresh start.

00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:47.000
 It's therapeutic.

00:18:48.200 --> 00:18:49.240
 That's the picture here.

00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:52.100
 It's a moment

00:18:52.100 --> 00:18:53.140
 to be longed for.

00:18:53.420 --> 00:18:53.820
 It's a moment

00:18:53.820 --> 00:18:54.600
 to be savoured.

00:18:56.080 --> 00:18:57.259
 As even pictured here,

00:18:57.620 --> 00:18:58.060
 it's probably

00:18:58.060 --> 00:18:59.140
 something only people

00:18:59.140 --> 00:19:00.000
 in the northern hemisphere

00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:01.100
 would understand

00:19:01.100 --> 00:19:02.200
 this idea of

00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:04.220
 you shall go out

00:19:04.220 --> 00:19:05.240
 leaping like cows

00:19:05.240 --> 00:19:05.920
 from the stall.

00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:07.140
 It was a big thing

00:19:07.140 --> 00:19:07.500
 for us.

00:19:07.860 --> 00:19:08.740
 Our animals

00:19:08.740 --> 00:19:09.279
 were always

00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:10.039
 penned up

00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:10.700
 for six months

00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:11.180
 of the year

00:19:11.180 --> 00:19:12.060
 over an hour old.

00:19:13.000 --> 00:19:13.880
 It used to be

00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:14.820
 no end of fun

00:19:14.820 --> 00:19:15.240
 for us,

00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:16.240
 probably a bit

00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:16.900
 pathetic,

00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:17.680
 that was fun for us,

00:19:17.720 --> 00:19:18.900
 but come time of spring

00:19:18.900 --> 00:19:19.940
 when you let them out

00:19:19.940 --> 00:19:21.360
 and they absolutely

00:19:21.360 --> 00:19:22.759
 went psycho

00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:23.539
 for perhaps

00:19:23.539 --> 00:19:24.120
 a couple of hours.

00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:24.460
 They would just

00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:25.220
 race around

00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:26.000
 and kick their heels

00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:27.060
 up and snort

00:19:27.060 --> 00:19:27.880
 and get on

00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:29.200
 in among the fresh grass

00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:30.660
 enjoying the spring day.

00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:32.820
 That's the picture here.

00:19:34.080 --> 00:19:34.820
 It would be

00:19:34.820 --> 00:19:35.700
 such a time

00:19:35.700 --> 00:19:36.360
 of excitement

00:19:36.360 --> 00:19:37.019
 and joy

00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:41.339
 and no wonder

00:19:41.339 --> 00:19:44.139
 because it would

00:19:44.139 --> 00:19:44.740
 be the time

00:19:44.740 --> 00:19:45.400
 of healing.

00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:46.000
 It would be

00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:46.460
 the time

00:19:46.460 --> 00:19:47.819
 of finally

00:19:47.819 --> 00:19:48.559
 getting what

00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:49.639
 they've longed for,

00:19:49.960 --> 00:19:50.740
 the ability

00:19:50.740 --> 00:19:51.519
 to properly

00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:52.319
 worship God.

00:19:55.019 --> 00:19:55.960
 The time

00:19:55.960 --> 00:19:57.000
 they would be

00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:58.000
 what they knew

00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:58.799
 God had created

00:19:58.799 --> 00:19:59.440
 them to be

00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:00.740
 as they worshipped

00:20:00.740 --> 00:20:01.059
 God.

00:20:01.639 --> 00:20:02.259
 The time

00:20:02.259 --> 00:20:02.680
 when they knew

00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:03.339
 they were actually

00:20:03.339 --> 00:20:04.079
 being what God

00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:04.940
 wanted them to be

00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:05.600
 all along.

00:20:07.660 --> 00:20:08.820
 People of righteousness,

00:20:10.420 --> 00:20:11.460
 faithful and delightful

00:20:11.460 --> 00:20:12.100
 to the Lord.

00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:15.080
 So,

00:20:15.539 --> 00:20:16.180
 God's judgment

00:20:16.180 --> 00:20:17.039
 would just be

00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:17.820
 what was needed,

00:20:18.580 --> 00:20:19.779
 exactly what was needed

00:20:19.779 --> 00:20:20.559
 for God's people.

00:20:21.860 --> 00:20:22.840
 And it would just be

00:20:22.840 --> 00:20:23.720
 exactly what's needed

00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:24.620
 for God's glory

00:20:24.620 --> 00:20:27.980
 because the two things

00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:29.400
 exist side by side

00:20:29.400 --> 00:20:30.140
 as we come to the end

00:20:30.140 --> 00:20:33.279
 of Malachi's prophecy.

00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:34.740
 sometimes we tend

00:20:34.740 --> 00:20:35.339
 to be a little bit

00:20:35.339 --> 00:20:36.359
 focused on our own

00:20:36.359 --> 00:20:37.099
 sort of situation,

00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:37.859
 the people situation.

00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:39.160
 But God's glory

00:20:39.160 --> 00:20:39.799
 is working here

00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:40.799
 as much as anything else.

00:20:42.440 --> 00:20:43.299
 God's intervention

00:20:43.299 --> 00:20:44.480
 would showcase

00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:46.399
 that what he said

00:20:46.399 --> 00:20:47.339
 earlier in the prophecy

00:20:47.339 --> 00:20:48.339
 was true,

00:20:48.500 --> 00:20:49.779
 that he was a great king.

00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:52.680
 It would demonstrate

00:20:52.680 --> 00:20:54.139
 why his name is great

00:20:54.139 --> 00:20:55.119
 across the world.

00:20:57.319 --> 00:20:58.180
 His holiness

00:20:58.180 --> 00:20:59.779
 would be known

00:20:59.779 --> 00:21:02.399
 by his consuming judgment.

00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:05.859
 those who refused

00:21:05.859 --> 00:21:08.220
 to bow before the Lord

00:21:08.220 --> 00:21:09.000
 would experience

00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:10.039
 this consuming judgment.

00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:12.980
 It would be a wildfire.

00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:14.200
 It would just consume them.

00:21:16.579 --> 00:21:17.879
 Nothing would survive.

00:21:20.759 --> 00:21:22.019
 So God's glory

00:21:22.019 --> 00:21:22.759
 would be established

00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:24.539
 as the wicked

00:21:24.539 --> 00:21:26.819
 get precisely

00:21:26.819 --> 00:21:27.940
 what they deserve.

00:21:27.940 --> 00:21:33.200
 And 3.18

00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:34.600
 Finally,

00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:35.680
 the rubbish talk

00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:36.340
 that we talked about

00:21:36.340 --> 00:21:36.900
 last week,

00:21:37.180 --> 00:21:37.820
 the rubbish talk

00:21:37.820 --> 00:21:38.600
 of many of his people.

00:21:38.660 --> 00:21:39.360
 Remember they were

00:21:39.360 --> 00:21:40.360
 complaining in their hearts

00:21:40.360 --> 00:21:41.360
 that, well, look,

00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:41.880
 what's the point

00:21:41.880 --> 00:21:42.460
 of serving the Lord?

00:21:42.519 --> 00:21:43.440
 There's actually no difference

00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:44.080
 between the righteous

00:21:44.080 --> 00:21:44.559
 and the wicked.

00:21:45.660 --> 00:21:46.440
 What's the point?

00:21:47.580 --> 00:21:48.400
 And suddenly the Lord

00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:48.960
 says, well,

00:21:49.720 --> 00:21:50.920
 you will then see

00:21:50.920 --> 00:21:53.440
 that your rubbish talk

00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:54.039
 was rubbish

00:21:54.039 --> 00:21:55.580
 and you will see

00:21:55.580 --> 00:21:57.000
 there's a vast difference

00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:58.799
 between the righteous

00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.460
 and the wicked.

00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:04.079
 And both

00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:05.839
 will ascribe

00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:06.660
 their situations

00:22:06.660 --> 00:22:08.079
 to my character

00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:09.779
 and my covenant faithfulness.

00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:17.059
 And so as it's been

00:22:17.059 --> 00:22:17.680
 right through,

00:22:18.539 --> 00:22:19.220
 the Lord's really

00:22:19.220 --> 00:22:19.839
 seen his people,

00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:20.180
 well,

00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:21.660
 my greatness

00:22:21.660 --> 00:22:22.299
 will be seen

00:22:22.299 --> 00:22:23.839
 in my consuming judgment,

00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:25.519
 but my greatness

00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:26.559
 will be seen also

00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:28.039
 in my grace

00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:28.700
 and love

00:22:28.700 --> 00:22:29.720
 and mercy to you

00:22:29.720 --> 00:22:31.099
 and my healing of you.

00:22:33.259 --> 00:22:34.599
 And even more so

00:22:34.599 --> 00:22:36.240
 if you'll return to me.

00:22:39.099 --> 00:22:40.619
 If only you'd trust me,

00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:41.180
 says the Lord.

00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:43.240
 You'll prove that

00:22:43.240 --> 00:22:44.099
 beyond measure.

00:22:44.099 --> 00:22:49.179
 You see,

00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:50.459
 in among all of that,

00:22:50.619 --> 00:22:51.259
 the Lord knew

00:22:51.259 --> 00:22:52.500
 only too well

00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:53.599
 the inability

00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:54.500
 of his people

00:22:54.500 --> 00:22:56.059
 to do that

00:22:56.059 --> 00:22:56.839
 on their own steam.

00:22:57.779 --> 00:22:58.480
 We're back in

00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:00.119
 3, 16, 17 again.

00:23:02.219 --> 00:23:03.259
 The Lord knew.

00:23:03.480 --> 00:23:03.980
 He knew right

00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:04.919
 from day one

00:23:04.919 --> 00:23:06.699
 that his people

00:23:06.699 --> 00:23:07.740
 didn't have the ability

00:23:07.740 --> 00:23:08.599
 to serve him

00:23:08.599 --> 00:23:09.259
 and obey him

00:23:09.259 --> 00:23:09.740
 as they ought.

00:23:11.419 --> 00:23:12.399
 But here's the rubb

00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:14.120
 in verse 16 and 17.

00:23:14.759 --> 00:23:16.120
 The Lord was delighted

00:23:16.120 --> 00:23:18.420
 when he saw his people

00:23:18.420 --> 00:23:19.600
 trying to do that,

00:23:19.820 --> 00:23:20.820
 trying to esteem him,

00:23:21.019 --> 00:23:21.980
 trying to fear him.

00:23:23.420 --> 00:23:24.220
 That's what got

00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:24.940
 God's attention.

00:23:26.560 --> 00:23:27.340
 Remember last week

00:23:27.340 --> 00:23:28.060
 the Lord said

00:23:28.060 --> 00:23:28.860
 he was just tired.

00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:29.740
 He was sick and tired

00:23:29.740 --> 00:23:31.200
 of listening to the ear bashing

00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:31.700
 they were giving him,

00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:32.720
 all the rubbish talk.

00:23:33.460 --> 00:23:34.519
 But what gets his attention?

00:23:35.800 --> 00:23:36.160
 Well,

00:23:36.560 --> 00:23:37.019
 when his people

00:23:37.019 --> 00:23:37.920
 are trying

00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:39.240
 to honour him,

00:23:39.780 --> 00:23:40.640
 even though they know

00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:41.240
 they fail

00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:42.060
 in doing that.

00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:46.000
 And what's his response

00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:46.360
 to that?

00:23:46.860 --> 00:23:47.080
 Well,

00:23:47.120 --> 00:23:48.240
 this book of remembrance,

00:23:49.280 --> 00:23:50.019
 I think again

00:23:50.019 --> 00:23:52.120
 it's most likely

00:23:52.120 --> 00:23:52.640
 a picture.

00:23:54.440 --> 00:23:55.360
 It's a commitment

00:23:55.360 --> 00:23:56.140
 of the Lord

00:23:56.140 --> 00:23:57.640
 to actually

00:23:57.640 --> 00:23:58.660
 write down

00:23:58.660 --> 00:23:59.140
 as it were

00:23:59.140 --> 00:24:01.060
 and tuck it

00:24:01.060 --> 00:24:01.680
 into his brain

00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:02.240
 if we can think

00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:03.040
 of the Lord like that.

00:24:04.740 --> 00:24:05.720
 All these people

00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:06.040
 and he says,

00:24:06.140 --> 00:24:06.460
 wow,

00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:08.380
 this is exactly

00:24:08.380 --> 00:24:09.980
 what I'm about

00:24:09.980 --> 00:24:10.740
 in my grace

00:24:10.740 --> 00:24:11.300
 and mercy

00:24:11.300 --> 00:24:11.900
 and love.

00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:14.060
 And he commits himself

00:24:14.060 --> 00:24:17.120
 to giving

00:24:17.120 --> 00:24:18.460
 these people

00:24:18.460 --> 00:24:19.300
 secure,

00:24:19.580 --> 00:24:20.120
 everlasting

00:24:20.120 --> 00:24:21.000
 relationship.

00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:22.300
 He commits himself

00:24:22.300 --> 00:24:24.019
 to being close

00:24:24.019 --> 00:24:24.300
 to them

00:24:24.300 --> 00:24:24.960
 in an intimate

00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:25.800
 relationship.

00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:29.980
 They shall be mine.

00:24:35.980 --> 00:24:36.420
 Now,

00:24:37.180 --> 00:24:37.680
 it's important

00:24:37.680 --> 00:24:38.180
 to remember here

00:24:38.180 --> 00:24:39.120
 this isn't a commitment.

00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:40.039
 this book

00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:40.759
 isn't listing

00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:41.759
 all the good people

00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:43.839
 as if somehow

00:24:43.839 --> 00:24:44.099
 or other

00:24:44.099 --> 00:24:44.719
 they deserve

00:24:44.719 --> 00:24:45.399
 God's blessing.

00:24:46.379 --> 00:24:47.459
 This book of remembrance

00:24:47.459 --> 00:24:50.339
 is about sinful people

00:24:50.339 --> 00:24:51.479
 whom,

00:24:51.619 --> 00:24:51.979
 as it says

00:24:51.979 --> 00:24:52.699
 in verse 17,

00:24:53.079 --> 00:24:54.059
 he would spare.

00:24:54.779 --> 00:24:55.979
 Very powerful word

00:24:55.979 --> 00:24:56.319
 that one.

00:24:57.919 --> 00:24:59.039
 He's not rewarding

00:24:59.039 --> 00:24:59.819
 them for their goodness,

00:24:59.959 --> 00:25:00.979
 he's sparing them

00:25:00.980 --> 00:25:03.079
 as a man

00:25:03.079 --> 00:25:04.059
 spares a son

00:25:04.059 --> 00:25:04.900
 who serves him.

00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:09.539
 In contrast

00:25:09.539 --> 00:25:10.200
 to those

00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:10.880
 who would be

00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:12.140
 consumed by his fire

00:25:12.140 --> 00:25:13.839
 getting exactly

00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:14.740
 what they deserved,

00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:16.839
 this group of people

00:25:16.839 --> 00:25:17.559
 because they sought

00:25:17.559 --> 00:25:18.519
 to fear the Lord

00:25:18.519 --> 00:25:20.420
 would get precisely

00:25:20.420 --> 00:25:21.579
 what they didn't deserve

00:25:21.579 --> 00:25:24.700
 and could never

00:25:24.700 --> 00:25:25.440
 really earn.

00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:26.000
 They would

00:25:30.980 --> 00:25:32.380
 and it's all theirs

00:25:32.380 --> 00:25:34.500
 because of the Lord's

00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:35.299
 grace and mercy

00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:35.700
 and love

00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:36.819
 and commitment

00:25:36.819 --> 00:25:37.279
 to them.

00:25:38.579 --> 00:25:39.420
 But there's something

00:25:39.420 --> 00:25:39.940
 else happening

00:25:39.940 --> 00:25:41.019
 in verse 17

00:25:41.019 --> 00:25:43.180
 because the language

00:25:43.180 --> 00:25:44.480
 there takes you

00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:45.259
 back to Exodus

00:25:45.259 --> 00:25:46.299
 chapter 19

00:25:46.299 --> 00:25:47.140
 verse 5.

00:25:47.860 --> 00:25:48.620
 Remember the Lord,

00:25:48.940 --> 00:25:49.299
 the Exodus,

00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:50.059
 the Lord brought

00:25:50.059 --> 00:25:50.940
 his people out of Egypt

00:25:50.940 --> 00:25:51.759
 and he brought

00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:53.940
 them to himself

00:25:53.940 --> 00:25:55.200
 in Mount Sinai

00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:55.940
 under Moses.

00:25:56.539 --> 00:25:57.279
 In chapter 19

00:25:57.279 --> 00:25:57.980
 verse 5

00:25:57.980 --> 00:25:59.440
 the Lord there says

00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.579
 I will be,

00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:01.160
 I brought you

00:26:01.160 --> 00:26:01.799
 in eagle's wings

00:26:01.799 --> 00:26:02.460
 and it's very interesting

00:26:02.460 --> 00:26:02.940
 there's another

00:26:02.940 --> 00:26:04.079
 bird reference here

00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:04.759
 in chapter 4

00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:05.299
 verse 4.

00:26:05.779 --> 00:26:06.599
 I just don't have time

00:26:06.599 --> 00:26:07.700
 I spent a lot of time

00:26:07.700 --> 00:26:08.519
 getting lost in that

00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:08.860
 this week

00:26:08.860 --> 00:26:09.420
 but I don't have time

00:26:09.420 --> 00:26:09.980
 to follow it through

00:26:09.980 --> 00:26:10.640
 now you can think

00:26:10.640 --> 00:26:11.200
 about it yourself.

00:26:11.980 --> 00:26:12.900
 The Lord said

00:26:12.900 --> 00:26:13.720
 I brought you

00:26:13.720 --> 00:26:14.319
 to myself

00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:15.240
 on eagle's wings

00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:17.880
 I will be your God

00:26:17.880 --> 00:26:18.460
 and you will be

00:26:18.460 --> 00:26:19.420
 my treasured

00:26:19.420 --> 00:26:20.620
 possession forever.

00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:24.680
 So what's happening

00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:25.160
 here

00:26:25.160 --> 00:26:26.599
 in chapter 3

00:26:26.599 --> 00:26:27.140
 verse 16

00:26:27.140 --> 00:26:27.440
 17

00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:27.880
 the end of

00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:29.259
 Malachi's prophecy

00:26:29.259 --> 00:26:30.680
 is simply

00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:31.720
 an affirmation

00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:32.259
 that the Lord

00:26:32.259 --> 00:26:33.360
 is still doing

00:26:33.360 --> 00:26:34.840
 what he had

00:26:34.840 --> 00:26:35.600
 promised to do

00:26:35.600 --> 00:26:36.720
 all the way back

00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:37.539
 at Exodus.

00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:42.180
 He promised

00:26:42.180 --> 00:26:43.320
 to rescue his people

00:26:43.320 --> 00:26:43.779
 and he actually

00:26:43.779 --> 00:26:44.799
 did rescue his people.

00:26:45.360 --> 00:26:45.920
 He brought them

00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:46.600
 to himself

00:26:46.600 --> 00:26:48.059
 he made himself

00:26:48.059 --> 00:26:48.620
 their God

00:26:48.620 --> 00:26:49.620
 and called them

00:26:49.620 --> 00:26:50.220
 his treasured

00:26:50.220 --> 00:26:50.500
 possession

00:26:50.500 --> 00:26:51.299
 and that's exactly

00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:52.100
 what we're hearing

00:26:52.100 --> 00:26:53.259
 here again.

00:26:54.220 --> 00:26:55.039
 Once again

00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:55.420
 we're seeing

00:26:55.420 --> 00:26:56.320
 God's glory

00:26:56.319 --> 00:26:59.419
 because we're seeing

00:26:59.419 --> 00:27:00.139
 God's covenant

00:27:00.139 --> 00:27:01.179
 faithfulness.

00:27:04.339 --> 00:27:05.079
 And look at

00:27:05.079 --> 00:27:05.619
 chapter 4

00:27:05.619 --> 00:27:06.639
 verse 4

00:27:06.639 --> 00:27:07.259
 5 and 6

00:27:07.259 --> 00:27:07.539
 now.

00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:10.299
 As we

00:27:10.299 --> 00:27:11.279
 end up

00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:12.319
 the Old Testament

00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:12.839
 end up

00:27:12.839 --> 00:27:13.839
 prophecy of Malachi

00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:16.119
 what will allow

00:27:16.119 --> 00:27:17.059
 God's people

00:27:17.059 --> 00:27:17.480
 to live

00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:18.199
 confidently

00:27:18.199 --> 00:27:20.279
 in God's

00:27:20.279 --> 00:27:21.639
 future promises

00:27:21.639 --> 00:27:22.240
 or God's

00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:22.559
 hope

00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:23.779
 God's promises

00:27:23.779 --> 00:27:25.079
 of healing

00:27:25.079 --> 00:27:25.740
 and intervention

00:27:25.740 --> 00:27:26.399
 in the future.

00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:28.000
 Healing

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.619
 and remuel.

00:27:30.500 --> 00:27:30.879
 Well

00:27:30.879 --> 00:27:31.799
 I think

00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:32.319
 it's this

00:27:32.319 --> 00:27:34.379
 confidence

00:27:34.379 --> 00:27:35.619
 in God's promises

00:27:35.619 --> 00:27:36.459
 going forward

00:27:36.460 --> 00:27:37.700
 is based

00:27:37.700 --> 00:27:38.180
 on

00:27:38.180 --> 00:27:40.279
 God's

00:27:40.279 --> 00:27:40.819
 character

00:27:40.819 --> 00:27:41.700
 and actions

00:27:41.700 --> 00:27:42.519
 in the past

00:27:42.519 --> 00:27:44.759
 and specifically

00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:46.519
 what these

00:27:46.519 --> 00:27:47.140
 two guys

00:27:47.140 --> 00:27:47.440
 here

00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:47.940
 Moses

00:27:47.940 --> 00:27:49.120
 and Elijah

00:27:49.120 --> 00:27:49.720
 represent.

00:27:52.059 --> 00:27:53.059
 To live

00:27:53.059 --> 00:27:53.779
 confidently

00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:55.319
 in God's

00:27:55.319 --> 00:27:56.079
 future promises

00:27:56.079 --> 00:27:56.539
 is

00:27:56.539 --> 00:27:57.079
 verse 4

00:27:57.079 --> 00:27:58.160
 to remember.

00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:03.660
 Look back

00:28:03.660 --> 00:28:04.460
 don't be old

00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:04.759
 fashioned

00:28:04.759 --> 00:28:05.240
 that's not what

00:28:05.240 --> 00:28:05.500
 he's saying

00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:06.720
 but be people

00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:07.319
 of the past

00:28:07.319 --> 00:28:08.180
 truly in the past

00:28:08.180 --> 00:28:08.559
 in terms of

00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:08.879
 what God

00:28:08.879 --> 00:28:09.220
 has done.

00:28:10.180 --> 00:28:10.619
 Remember

00:28:10.619 --> 00:28:11.339
 that God

00:28:11.339 --> 00:28:12.119
 does what

00:28:12.119 --> 00:28:12.559
 he says

00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:13.119
 he will do.

00:28:17.059 --> 00:28:17.319
 And so

00:28:17.319 --> 00:28:17.960
 God's last

00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:18.519
 words to his

00:28:18.519 --> 00:28:19.160
 people here

00:28:19.160 --> 00:28:21.279
 before a

00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:21.759
 sound of

00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:22.359
 some 400

00:28:22.359 --> 00:28:23.240
 more years

00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:24.279
 is remember

00:28:24.279 --> 00:28:24.779
 Moses

00:28:24.779 --> 00:28:25.779
 and remember

00:28:25.779 --> 00:28:26.339
 Elijah.

00:28:30.099 --> 00:28:30.660
 So

00:28:30.660 --> 00:28:31.160
 remember

00:28:31.160 --> 00:28:31.660
 Moses.

00:28:32.500 --> 00:28:32.980
 What do

00:28:32.980 --> 00:28:33.440
 they remember?

00:28:33.859 --> 00:28:34.079
 Well

00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:34.559
 we've just

00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:35.220
 spoken about

00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:35.379
 it in

00:28:35.379 --> 00:28:35.559
 3,

00:28:35.659 --> 00:28:36.000
 16,

00:28:36.119 --> 00:28:36.500
 17.

00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:38.259
 Remember

00:28:38.259 --> 00:28:38.859
 that the

00:28:38.859 --> 00:28:39.139
 Lord

00:28:39.139 --> 00:28:39.779
 initiated

00:28:39.779 --> 00:28:40.740
 relationship

00:28:40.740 --> 00:28:44.599
 with you

00:28:44.599 --> 00:28:45.159
 in spite

00:28:45.159 --> 00:28:45.480
 of your

00:28:45.480 --> 00:28:45.980
 sin and

00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:46.439
 failure.

00:28:49.079 --> 00:28:49.559
 The

00:28:49.559 --> 00:28:49.759
 Lord

00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:50.279
 brought you

00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:50.699
 to himself

00:28:50.699 --> 00:28:51.460
 simply because

00:28:51.460 --> 00:28:51.839
 it was an

00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:52.179
 act of

00:28:52.179 --> 00:28:52.519
 God's

00:28:52.519 --> 00:28:53.019
 grace and

00:28:53.019 --> 00:28:53.220
 mercy.

00:28:53.319 --> 00:28:53.619
 Not because

00:28:53.619 --> 00:28:54.079
 you deserved

00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:54.379
 it.

00:28:55.599 --> 00:28:56.059
 The

00:28:56.059 --> 00:28:56.220
 Lord

00:28:56.220 --> 00:28:56.599
 committed

00:28:56.599 --> 00:28:56.919
 himself

00:28:56.919 --> 00:28:57.419
 to you

00:28:57.419 --> 00:28:58.639
 and made

00:28:58.639 --> 00:28:58.899
 you his

00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:59.299
 treasured

00:28:59.299 --> 00:28:59.659
 possession

00:28:59.659 --> 00:29:00.199
 because that

00:29:00.199 --> 00:29:01.099
 was God's

00:29:01.099 --> 00:29:01.500
 covenant

00:29:01.500 --> 00:29:02.179
 faithfulness

00:29:02.179 --> 00:29:02.699
 working out.

00:29:02.700 --> 00:29:08.640
 Remember

00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:12.880
 that God

00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:13.799
 gave you

00:29:13.799 --> 00:29:14.080
 his

00:29:14.080 --> 00:29:14.720
 love to

00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:15.220
 shape the

00:29:15.220 --> 00:29:15.720
 relationship

00:29:15.720 --> 00:29:16.120
 and said

00:29:16.120 --> 00:29:17.319
 this is how

00:29:17.319 --> 00:29:17.640
 you're going

00:29:17.640 --> 00:29:18.059
 to enjoy

00:29:18.059 --> 00:29:18.380
 the good

00:29:18.380 --> 00:29:18.960
 life with

00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:19.220
 me.

00:29:20.700 --> 00:29:20.920
 And then

00:29:20.920 --> 00:29:21.259
 remember

00:29:21.259 --> 00:29:21.700
 also that

00:29:21.700 --> 00:29:21.960
 the Lord

00:29:21.960 --> 00:29:22.720
 knew even

00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:23.180
 as he gave

00:29:23.180 --> 00:29:23.460
 you his

00:29:23.460 --> 00:29:23.819
 commandments

00:29:23.819 --> 00:29:24.160
 that you

00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:24.440
 wouldn't be

00:29:24.440 --> 00:29:24.660
 able to

00:29:24.660 --> 00:29:25.279
 obey them.

00:29:26.259 --> 00:29:26.480
 And so

00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:26.740
 what did

00:29:26.740 --> 00:29:27.019
 the Lord

00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:27.200
 do?

00:29:27.380 --> 00:29:28.220
 He provided

00:29:28.220 --> 00:29:29.019
 a means of

00:29:29.019 --> 00:29:29.460
 dealing with

00:29:29.460 --> 00:29:29.840
 your sins

00:29:29.840 --> 00:29:30.220
 so that the

00:29:30.220 --> 00:29:30.840
 relationship

00:29:30.839 --> 00:29:31.859
 might continue

00:29:31.859 --> 00:29:32.679
 even though

00:29:32.679 --> 00:29:34.480
 your sin

00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:35.059
 is just

00:29:35.059 --> 00:29:35.619
 all over

00:29:35.619 --> 00:29:35.879
 it.

00:29:42.879 --> 00:29:43.439
 And

00:29:43.439 --> 00:29:43.759
 remember

00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:44.240
 Elijah.

00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:47.220
 Elijah

00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:47.720
 perhaps not

00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:48.240
 so well

00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:48.619
 known to

00:29:48.619 --> 00:29:48.939
 some of

00:29:48.939 --> 00:29:49.299
 us but

00:29:49.299 --> 00:29:50.699
 Elijah he

00:29:50.699 --> 00:29:51.059
 was the

00:29:51.059 --> 00:29:52.220
 great prophet

00:29:52.220 --> 00:29:52.980
 that God's

00:29:52.980 --> 00:29:53.439
 people look

00:29:53.439 --> 00:29:54.259
 back to.

00:29:54.319 --> 00:29:54.579
 As I said

00:29:54.579 --> 00:29:55.059
 last week he

00:29:55.059 --> 00:29:55.220
 was the

00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:55.500
 sort of

00:29:55.500 --> 00:29:55.839
 pin-up

00:29:55.839 --> 00:29:56.699
 prophet as

00:29:56.699 --> 00:29:57.019
 it were.

00:29:57.019 --> 00:29:59.019
 he was

00:29:59.019 --> 00:29:59.960
 the pinnacle

00:29:59.960 --> 00:30:00.480
 of prophecy

00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:01.279
 for many

00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:01.720
 of God's

00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:01.920
 people.

00:30:02.200 --> 00:30:02.480
 He was

00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:02.680
 the one

00:30:02.680 --> 00:30:03.460
 who challenged

00:30:03.460 --> 00:30:04.299
 God's

00:30:04.299 --> 00:30:04.660
 people to

00:30:04.660 --> 00:30:05.519
 address God's

00:30:05.519 --> 00:30:06.279
 character and

00:30:06.279 --> 00:30:07.000
 God's promises

00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:07.759
 when it

00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:08.480
 looked like

00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:09.240
 God's cause

00:30:09.240 --> 00:30:09.500
 had been

00:30:09.500 --> 00:30:10.039
 lost in

00:30:10.039 --> 00:30:10.420
 the face

00:30:10.420 --> 00:30:10.920
 of evil

00:30:10.920 --> 00:30:11.519
 attack.

00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:15.879
 Elijah was

00:30:15.879 --> 00:30:16.379
 a man who

00:30:16.379 --> 00:30:17.440
 took on

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:18.160
 the enemies

00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:18.619
 of God

00:30:18.619 --> 00:30:18.839
 as it

00:30:18.839 --> 00:30:19.039
 were

00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:21.160
 and defeated

00:30:21.160 --> 00:30:21.480
 them.

00:30:22.779 --> 00:30:23.299
 But he

00:30:23.299 --> 00:30:23.759
 also was a

00:30:23.759 --> 00:30:24.019
 man who

00:30:24.019 --> 00:30:24.379
 confronted

00:30:24.379 --> 00:30:24.720
 God's

00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:25.079
 people with

00:30:25.079 --> 00:30:25.480
 their sin.

00:30:25.980 --> 00:30:26.339
 He urged

00:30:26.339 --> 00:30:26.660
 them to

00:30:26.660 --> 00:30:27.279
 repent and

00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:27.820
 turn back

00:30:27.820 --> 00:30:28.120
 to the

00:30:28.120 --> 00:30:28.880
 Lord for

00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:29.220
 renewed

00:30:29.220 --> 00:30:29.680
 blessing.

00:30:35.160 --> 00:30:35.720
 And

00:30:35.720 --> 00:30:36.100
 remember

00:30:36.100 --> 00:30:37.779
 that I'm

00:30:37.779 --> 00:30:38.500
 sending you

00:30:38.500 --> 00:30:38.900
 a new

00:30:38.900 --> 00:30:39.300
 Elijah.

00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:41.160
 One who

00:30:41.160 --> 00:30:41.580
 will take

00:30:41.580 --> 00:30:42.779
 up and

00:30:42.779 --> 00:30:43.560
 complete his

00:30:43.560 --> 00:30:43.940
 original

00:30:43.940 --> 00:30:44.320
 mission.

00:30:44.880 --> 00:30:45.120
 Some

00:30:45.120 --> 00:30:45.759
 commentators

00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:46.120
 think that

00:30:46.120 --> 00:30:46.900
 because Elijah

00:30:46.900 --> 00:30:47.800
 didn't die,

00:30:47.880 --> 00:30:48.040
 he was

00:30:48.040 --> 00:30:48.420
 taken up

00:30:48.420 --> 00:30:49.360
 to the

00:30:49.360 --> 00:30:49.779
 heavens in

00:30:49.779 --> 00:30:50.560
 a chariot,

00:30:51.019 --> 00:30:51.360
 that that

00:30:51.360 --> 00:30:51.779
 sort of

00:30:51.779 --> 00:30:52.640
 left God's

00:30:52.640 --> 00:30:53.080
 people thinking

00:30:53.080 --> 00:30:53.380
 that there

00:30:53.380 --> 00:30:53.660
 would be

00:30:53.660 --> 00:30:54.900
 another day

00:30:54.900 --> 00:30:55.620
 when Elijah

00:30:55.620 --> 00:30:56.240
 would return

00:30:56.240 --> 00:30:56.779
 to complete

00:30:56.779 --> 00:30:57.259
 his mission.

00:31:00.180 --> 00:31:00.880
 Whatever you

00:31:00.880 --> 00:31:01.240
 make of

00:31:01.240 --> 00:31:01.539
 that,

00:31:02.019 --> 00:31:02.359
 the Lord

00:31:02.359 --> 00:31:03.380
 through his

00:31:03.380 --> 00:31:03.819
 word here

00:31:03.819 --> 00:31:04.380
 is saying

00:31:04.380 --> 00:31:04.700
 I will

00:31:04.700 --> 00:31:05.359
 send a

00:31:05.359 --> 00:31:05.539
 new

00:31:05.539 --> 00:31:05.940
 Elijah.

00:31:07.740 --> 00:31:08.359
 One who

00:31:08.359 --> 00:31:08.740
 will take

00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:09.359
 up and

00:31:09.359 --> 00:31:09.980
 complete that

00:31:09.980 --> 00:31:10.359
 original

00:31:10.359 --> 00:31:10.720
 mission,

00:31:10.900 --> 00:31:11.720
 however you

00:31:11.720 --> 00:31:12.240
 see it

00:31:12.240 --> 00:31:13.019
 being connected

00:31:13.019 --> 00:31:13.579
 into that.

00:31:16.700 --> 00:31:17.200
 He will

00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:17.620
 turn

00:31:17.620 --> 00:31:19.099
 God's

00:31:19.099 --> 00:31:19.839
 people back

00:31:19.839 --> 00:31:21.359
 to serve

00:31:21.359 --> 00:31:21.740
 the Lord.

00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:23.079
 He will

00:31:23.079 --> 00:31:23.620
 confound

00:31:23.620 --> 00:31:24.079
 God's

00:31:24.079 --> 00:31:24.380
 enemies.

00:31:24.380 --> 00:31:24.480
 enemies.

00:31:26.760 --> 00:31:26.940
 And so

00:31:26.940 --> 00:31:27.300
 my friends,

00:31:27.380 --> 00:31:27.760
 as we wrap

00:31:27.760 --> 00:31:28.240
 up this

00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:29.360
 Malachi

00:31:29.360 --> 00:31:29.960
 series,

00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:31.500
 the Old

00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:31.800
 Testament,

00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:32.900
 the whisper

00:31:32.900 --> 00:31:33.440
 of Jesus

00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:34.780
 has suddenly

00:31:34.780 --> 00:31:35.320
 become a

00:31:35.320 --> 00:31:35.600
 roar.

00:31:40.320 --> 00:31:40.960
 God's

00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:41.380
 promised

00:31:41.380 --> 00:31:41.780
 healing

00:31:41.780 --> 00:31:42.440
 intervention

00:31:42.440 --> 00:31:43.520
 comes

00:31:43.520 --> 00:31:44.120
 reality

00:31:44.120 --> 00:31:45.320
 with the

00:31:45.320 --> 00:31:45.720
 birth of

00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:45.940
 Jesus

00:31:45.940 --> 00:31:46.380
 more than

00:31:46.380 --> 00:31:47.320
 400 years

00:31:47.320 --> 00:31:47.640
 later.

00:31:49.060 --> 00:31:49.340
 Quite

00:31:49.340 --> 00:31:49.780
 literally,

00:31:50.100 --> 00:31:50.560
 we step

00:31:50.560 --> 00:31:51.180
 from Malachi

00:31:51.180 --> 00:31:51.660
 into

00:31:51.660 --> 00:31:52.100
 Matthew.

00:31:53.640 --> 00:31:54.000
 And in a

00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:54.220
 sense,

00:31:54.299 --> 00:31:54.759
 that's how

00:31:54.759 --> 00:31:55.600
 it happened

00:31:55.600 --> 00:31:56.259
 in history.

00:31:58.360 --> 00:31:58.799
 God's

00:31:58.799 --> 00:31:59.360
 next word

00:31:59.360 --> 00:31:59.779
 was with

00:31:59.779 --> 00:32:00.320
 the arrival

00:32:00.320 --> 00:32:01.900
 of Jesus

00:32:01.900 --> 00:32:02.700
 more than

00:32:02.700 --> 00:32:03.299
 400 years

00:32:03.299 --> 00:32:03.580
 later.

00:32:05.200 --> 00:32:05.460
 And what

00:32:05.460 --> 00:32:05.900
 we find

00:32:05.900 --> 00:32:06.220
 when we

00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:06.840
 move into

00:32:06.840 --> 00:32:07.299
 Matthew's

00:32:07.299 --> 00:32:07.660
 gospel,

00:32:08.740 --> 00:32:09.299
 is that even

00:32:09.299 --> 00:32:09.660
 then,

00:32:09.860 --> 00:32:10.560
 there were

00:32:10.560 --> 00:32:11.120
 some among

00:32:11.120 --> 00:32:11.500
 God's

00:32:11.500 --> 00:32:12.039
 people who

00:32:12.039 --> 00:32:12.580
 had

00:32:12.580 --> 00:32:13.920
 remembered

00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:16.360
 and who

00:32:16.360 --> 00:32:17.220
 continued to

00:32:17.220 --> 00:32:17.799
 fear and

00:32:17.799 --> 00:32:18.320
 esteem the

00:32:18.320 --> 00:32:18.720
 name of the

00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:19.000
 Lord.

00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:19.039
 Lord,

00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:20.140
 there were

00:32:20.140 --> 00:32:20.400
 a group,

00:32:20.579 --> 00:32:20.880
 a couple

00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:21.279
 we'll meet

00:32:21.279 --> 00:32:21.720
 next week

00:32:21.720 --> 00:32:21.940
 as we

00:32:21.940 --> 00:32:22.259
 start our

00:32:22.259 --> 00:32:22.759
 next series

00:32:22.759 --> 00:32:23.160
 leading up

00:32:23.160 --> 00:32:23.619
 to Christmas,

00:32:23.799 --> 00:32:24.599
 Christmas songs.

00:32:25.059 --> 00:32:25.559
 Two people

00:32:25.559 --> 00:32:25.960
 will meet,

00:32:26.059 --> 00:32:26.579
 Anna and

00:32:26.579 --> 00:32:27.059
 Simeon.

00:32:28.299 --> 00:32:28.519
 And they

00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:29.079
 were part

00:32:29.079 --> 00:32:29.619
 of a group

00:32:29.619 --> 00:32:30.180
 that's

00:32:30.180 --> 00:32:31.000
 described in

00:32:31.000 --> 00:32:31.500
 Matthew's

00:32:31.500 --> 00:32:32.000
 gospel as

00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:32.480
 those who

00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:32.859
 are waiting

00:32:32.859 --> 00:32:33.259
 for the

00:32:33.259 --> 00:32:34.119
 consolation,

00:32:34.599 --> 00:32:34.779
 and that

00:32:34.779 --> 00:32:35.279
 word healing

00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:36.299
 is there,

00:32:36.900 --> 00:32:37.539
 the consolation

00:32:37.539 --> 00:32:38.039
 of Israel.

00:32:40.180 --> 00:32:40.640
 They

00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:41.339
 continued to

00:32:41.339 --> 00:32:41.740
 fear the

00:32:41.740 --> 00:32:42.000
 Lord.

00:32:42.779 --> 00:32:42.980
 They

00:32:42.980 --> 00:32:43.500
 continued to

00:32:43.500 --> 00:32:44.000
 meet and

00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:44.619
 encourage each

00:32:44.619 --> 00:32:44.980
 other to

00:32:44.980 --> 00:32:45.339
 fear the

00:32:45.339 --> 00:32:45.579
 Lord.

00:32:46.119 --> 00:32:46.319
 They

00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:46.900
 continued to

00:32:46.900 --> 00:32:47.380
 esteem the

00:32:47.380 --> 00:32:47.619
 Lord.

00:32:49.000 --> 00:32:53.400
 Jump

00:32:53.400 --> 00:32:54.140
 forward a

00:32:54.140 --> 00:32:54.519
 few more

00:32:54.519 --> 00:32:54.880
 years,

00:32:55.019 --> 00:32:55.160
 and I

00:32:55.160 --> 00:32:55.359
 want to

00:32:55.359 --> 00:32:55.680
 take you

00:32:55.680 --> 00:32:56.279
 into Matthew

00:32:56.279 --> 00:32:56.960
 17,

00:32:57.759 --> 00:32:58.420
 as we

00:32:58.420 --> 00:32:59.200
 finish up

00:32:59.200 --> 00:32:59.880
 this series

00:32:59.880 --> 00:33:00.359
 and finish

00:33:00.359 --> 00:33:00.680
 up this

00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:00.940
 morning.

00:33:01.740 --> 00:33:01.940
 Matthew

00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:02.799
 17 is

00:33:02.799 --> 00:33:03.480
 that

00:33:03.480 --> 00:33:05.640
 episode,

00:33:05.779 --> 00:33:06.200
 that incident

00:33:06.200 --> 00:33:06.660
 we call

00:33:06.660 --> 00:33:06.819
 the

00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:07.619
 Transfiguration.

00:33:12.319 --> 00:33:12.900
 In the

00:33:12.900 --> 00:33:13.619
 Transfiguration,

00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:14.460
 we have

00:33:14.460 --> 00:33:15.940
 the festival

00:33:15.940 --> 00:33:16.319
 for the

00:33:16.319 --> 00:33:16.819
 Old Testament,

00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:17.900
 the Feast

00:33:17.900 --> 00:33:18.400
 of Booths,

00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:19.759
 and what

00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:20.039
 we have

00:33:20.039 --> 00:33:20.839
 initially is

00:33:20.839 --> 00:33:22.339
 Moses and

00:33:22.339 --> 00:33:22.819
 Elijah

00:33:22.819 --> 00:33:24.160
 appearing.

00:33:24.259 --> 00:33:24.519
 That's the

00:33:24.519 --> 00:33:24.900
 next time

00:33:24.900 --> 00:33:25.640
 these two

00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:26.059
 characters

00:33:26.059 --> 00:33:26.720
 appear together.

00:33:26.819 --> 00:33:27.220
 Moses and

00:33:27.220 --> 00:33:27.980
 Elijah appear

00:33:27.980 --> 00:33:29.240
 and they're

00:33:29.240 --> 00:33:30.019
 chatting with

00:33:30.019 --> 00:33:30.420
 Jesus.

00:33:31.240 --> 00:33:31.500
 The disciples

00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:32.240
 have no idea

00:33:32.240 --> 00:33:32.640
 what to do

00:33:32.640 --> 00:33:33.079
 with all that.

00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:34.460
 So they

00:33:34.460 --> 00:33:35.420
 initially start

00:33:35.420 --> 00:33:36.400
 to treat them

00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:36.839
 as equals.

00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:38.279
 So let's

00:33:38.279 --> 00:33:38.880
 make a booth

00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:39.460
 for each of

00:33:39.460 --> 00:33:39.900
 the three of

00:33:39.900 --> 00:33:40.059
 you.

00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:41.940
 And then

00:33:41.940 --> 00:33:42.299
 things take

00:33:42.299 --> 00:33:43.119
 a very quick

00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:43.579
 turn.

00:33:44.299 --> 00:33:44.779
 Moses and

00:33:44.779 --> 00:33:45.819
 Elijah fade

00:33:45.819 --> 00:33:46.259
 into the

00:33:46.259 --> 00:33:46.880
 background and

00:33:46.880 --> 00:33:47.220
 disappear.

00:33:47.220 --> 00:33:49.600
 and Jesus

00:33:49.600 --> 00:33:50.480
 is transformed

00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:51.880
 with a

00:33:51.880 --> 00:33:52.319
 supernatural

00:33:52.319 --> 00:33:53.420
 voice saying

00:33:53.420 --> 00:33:53.900
 this is my

00:33:53.900 --> 00:33:54.579
 beloved son.

00:33:58.779 --> 00:33:59.339
 What's

00:33:59.339 --> 00:33:59.860
 happening there?

00:34:01.440 --> 00:34:01.960
 Well,

00:34:02.680 --> 00:34:03.299
 firstly it's

00:34:03.299 --> 00:34:03.759
 an intersection

00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:04.319
 of Jesus,

00:34:04.680 --> 00:34:05.160
 Moses and

00:34:05.160 --> 00:34:05.559
 Elijah.

00:34:08.860 --> 00:34:09.940
 But secondly,

00:34:10.679 --> 00:34:11.260
 it's Moses

00:34:11.260 --> 00:34:12.059
 and Elijah

00:34:12.059 --> 00:34:13.539
 recognising

00:34:13.539 --> 00:34:15.099
 that they

00:34:15.099 --> 00:34:15.619
 will step

00:34:15.619 --> 00:34:15.960
 into the

00:34:15.960 --> 00:34:16.380
 background

00:34:16.380 --> 00:34:17.340
 now and

00:34:17.340 --> 00:34:17.559
 as it

00:34:17.559 --> 00:34:18.199
 were disappear

00:34:18.199 --> 00:34:19.420
 and the

00:34:19.420 --> 00:34:20.159
 spotlight will

00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:20.920
 quite literally

00:34:20.920 --> 00:34:22.039
 come onto

00:34:22.039 --> 00:34:22.519
 Jesus.

00:34:25.059 --> 00:34:25.900
 In other

00:34:25.900 --> 00:34:26.219
 words,

00:34:27.099 --> 00:34:27.659
 Moses and

00:34:27.659 --> 00:34:28.480
 Elijah both

00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:29.300
 recognised that

00:34:29.300 --> 00:34:30.139
 Jesus is the

00:34:30.139 --> 00:34:30.840
 one who would

00:34:30.840 --> 00:34:31.460
 bring that

00:34:31.460 --> 00:34:32.360
 healing intervention

00:34:32.360 --> 00:34:33.719
 which Moses

00:34:33.719 --> 00:34:34.239
 and Elijah

00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:34.940
 represented

00:34:34.940 --> 00:34:37.320
 but were

00:34:37.320 --> 00:34:37.779
 unable to

00:34:37.779 --> 00:34:38.119
 deliver.

00:34:38.119 --> 00:34:41.400
 so it's a

00:34:41.400 --> 00:34:42.099
 connection

00:34:42.099 --> 00:34:43.659
 but a

00:34:43.659 --> 00:34:43.960
 connection

00:34:43.960 --> 00:34:44.639
 deliberately

00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:45.099
 puts the

00:34:45.099 --> 00:34:45.599
 focus onto

00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:46.059
 Jesus.

00:34:48.239 --> 00:34:49.179
 Jesus would

00:34:49.179 --> 00:34:49.480
 be the

00:34:49.480 --> 00:34:50.179
 new Moses

00:34:50.179 --> 00:34:52.440
 and we

00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:52.819
 see that

00:34:52.819 --> 00:34:53.139
 through the

00:34:53.139 --> 00:34:53.699
 early chapters

00:34:53.699 --> 00:34:54.159
 of the

00:34:54.159 --> 00:34:54.440
 gospel.

00:34:54.799 --> 00:34:54.940
 He would

00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:55.119
 be the

00:34:55.119 --> 00:34:55.659
 new Moses

00:34:55.659 --> 00:34:56.880
 leading God's

00:34:56.880 --> 00:34:57.440
 people in

00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:57.799
 a new

00:34:57.799 --> 00:34:58.359
 exodus.

00:34:59.199 --> 00:34:59.559
 That is,

00:34:59.679 --> 00:35:00.259
 once again

00:35:00.259 --> 00:35:01.000
 rescuing

00:35:01.000 --> 00:35:01.639
 God's people

00:35:01.639 --> 00:35:02.460
 from bondage

00:35:02.460 --> 00:35:02.900
 to sin

00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:03.380
 and death,

00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:04.480
 bringing

00:35:04.480 --> 00:35:04.900
 them to

00:35:04.900 --> 00:35:05.420
 the Lord

00:35:05.420 --> 00:35:06.500
 as his

00:35:06.500 --> 00:35:06.940
 treasured

00:35:06.940 --> 00:35:07.359
 possession,

00:35:07.360 --> 00:35:08.519
 renewing

00:35:08.519 --> 00:35:09.940
 them and

00:35:09.940 --> 00:35:10.539
 creating a

00:35:10.539 --> 00:35:11.160
 new servant

00:35:11.160 --> 00:35:11.660
 nation,

00:35:12.500 --> 00:35:13.099
 a global

00:35:13.099 --> 00:35:13.500
 servant

00:35:13.500 --> 00:35:14.360
 nation which

00:35:14.360 --> 00:35:14.760
 we call

00:35:14.760 --> 00:35:15.320
 the church.

00:35:17.400 --> 00:35:18.260
 Jesus would

00:35:18.260 --> 00:35:18.800
 be the

00:35:18.800 --> 00:35:19.480
 new Moses

00:35:19.480 --> 00:35:22.820
 and Jesus

00:35:22.820 --> 00:35:23.500
 like Moses

00:35:23.500 --> 00:35:24.240
 would remind

00:35:24.240 --> 00:35:24.980
 God's people

00:35:24.980 --> 00:35:26.099
 that God

00:35:26.099 --> 00:35:27.000
 demanded

00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:27.480
 perfect

00:35:27.480 --> 00:35:28.300
 obedience to

00:35:28.300 --> 00:35:28.820
 his law.

00:35:32.599 --> 00:35:33.420
 But as

00:35:33.420 --> 00:35:33.840
 the new

00:35:33.840 --> 00:35:34.440
 superior

00:35:34.440 --> 00:35:35.059
 Moses,

00:35:36.300 --> 00:35:36.579
 he would

00:35:36.579 --> 00:35:36.880
 actually,

00:35:36.880 --> 00:35:39.180
 keep God's

00:35:39.180 --> 00:35:39.780
 law for

00:35:39.780 --> 00:35:40.140
 God's

00:35:40.140 --> 00:35:40.400
 people.

00:35:41.039 --> 00:35:41.720
 Because they

00:35:41.720 --> 00:35:42.059
 couldn't

00:35:42.059 --> 00:35:43.019
 keep it

00:35:43.019 --> 00:35:43.579
 for themselves.

00:35:43.680 --> 00:35:44.900
 They couldn't

00:35:44.900 --> 00:35:45.619
 have that

00:35:45.619 --> 00:35:46.019
 standard

00:35:46.019 --> 00:35:46.539
 perfection

00:35:46.539 --> 00:35:47.099
 that the

00:35:47.099 --> 00:35:48.000
 Lord demanded

00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:48.300
 of his

00:35:48.300 --> 00:35:48.559
 people.

00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:50.480
 So,

00:35:50.700 --> 00:35:51.460
 Jesus keeps

00:35:51.460 --> 00:35:51.780
 the law

00:35:51.780 --> 00:35:52.200
 for us.

00:35:52.460 --> 00:35:52.900
 He gives

00:35:52.900 --> 00:35:53.260
 us his

00:35:53.260 --> 00:35:53.860
 righteousness

00:35:53.860 --> 00:35:54.619
 so that we

00:35:54.619 --> 00:35:55.480
 might have

00:35:55.480 --> 00:35:56.900
 the necessary

00:35:56.900 --> 00:35:57.599
 righteousness

00:35:57.599 --> 00:35:59.119
 promised

00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:01.099
 so that we

00:36:01.099 --> 00:36:01.740
 can have

00:36:01.740 --> 00:36:02.240
 ongoing

00:36:02.240 --> 00:36:02.880
 relationship

00:36:02.880 --> 00:36:03.160
 with the

00:36:03.160 --> 00:36:03.440
 Lord.

00:36:06.780 --> 00:36:07.420
 And this

00:36:07.420 --> 00:36:07.700
 might be

00:36:07.700 --> 00:36:07.920
 more

00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:08.380
 controversial,

00:36:08.539 --> 00:36:08.880
 but Jesus

00:36:08.880 --> 00:36:09.440
 in a sense

00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:09.680
 would be

00:36:09.680 --> 00:36:09.980
 the new

00:36:09.980 --> 00:36:10.400
 Elijah.

00:36:10.840 --> 00:36:11.059
 Yes,

00:36:11.180 --> 00:36:11.720
 Elijah was

00:36:11.720 --> 00:36:13.320
 the first

00:36:13.320 --> 00:36:13.720
 and foremost

00:36:13.720 --> 00:36:14.140
 John the

00:36:14.140 --> 00:36:14.420
 Baptist,

00:36:15.619 --> 00:36:17.000
 but in a

00:36:17.000 --> 00:36:17.180
 sense,

00:36:17.180 --> 00:36:17.880
 Jesus is

00:36:17.880 --> 00:36:18.599
 an Elijah

00:36:18.599 --> 00:36:19.180
 figure as

00:36:19.180 --> 00:36:19.480
 well.

00:36:20.760 --> 00:36:21.420
 Except that

00:36:21.420 --> 00:36:22.579
 he completes

00:36:22.579 --> 00:36:23.059
 what Elijah

00:36:23.059 --> 00:36:23.720
 was unable

00:36:23.720 --> 00:36:24.019
 to do.

00:36:24.099 --> 00:36:24.519
 He calls

00:36:24.519 --> 00:36:24.860
 his people

00:36:24.860 --> 00:36:26.019
 back to

00:36:26.019 --> 00:36:26.340
 the Lord

00:36:26.340 --> 00:36:26.760
 to see

00:36:26.760 --> 00:36:27.140
 their sin.

00:36:27.819 --> 00:36:28.480
 But this

00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:29.039
 time,

00:36:29.139 --> 00:36:29.379
 Jesus

00:36:29.379 --> 00:36:29.779
 actually

00:36:29.779 --> 00:36:30.559
 deals

00:36:30.559 --> 00:36:30.759
 with

00:36:30.759 --> 00:36:30.900
 their

00:36:30.900 --> 00:36:31.139
 sin,

00:36:32.099 --> 00:36:32.539
 changes

00:36:32.539 --> 00:36:32.779
 them

00:36:32.779 --> 00:36:33.119
 from the

00:36:33.119 --> 00:36:33.619
 inside out,

00:36:33.940 --> 00:36:34.519
 makes new

00:36:34.519 --> 00:36:34.759
 in our

00:36:34.759 --> 00:36:35.319
 hearts and

00:36:35.319 --> 00:36:36.719
 minds by

00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:37.099
 the finding

00:36:37.099 --> 00:36:37.679
 presence of

00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:38.079
 God's

00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:38.420
 Spirit,

00:36:39.699 --> 00:36:40.000
 gives us

00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:40.359
 a fresh

00:36:40.359 --> 00:36:40.900
 start in

00:36:40.900 --> 00:36:41.139
 the good

00:36:41.139 --> 00:36:41.539
 life of

00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:41.839
 God.

00:36:47.259 --> 00:36:47.839
 Friends,

00:36:47.940 --> 00:36:48.819
 all God's

00:36:48.819 --> 00:36:50.420
 purposes and

00:36:50.420 --> 00:36:51.379
 promises of

00:36:51.379 --> 00:36:52.980
 healing and

00:36:52.980 --> 00:36:54.019
 restoration are

00:36:54.019 --> 00:36:54.739
 fulfilled in

00:36:54.739 --> 00:36:55.039
 Jesus.

00:36:57.139 --> 00:36:58.319
 that's the

00:36:58.319 --> 00:36:58.819
 sum of it.

00:37:00.799 --> 00:37:01.579
 In him,

00:37:02.099 --> 00:37:02.579
 we are the

00:37:02.579 --> 00:37:03.239
 righteousness of

00:37:03.239 --> 00:37:03.519
 God.

00:37:06.279 --> 00:37:06.879
 And we

00:37:06.879 --> 00:37:07.279
 need to

00:37:07.279 --> 00:37:07.879
 understand that

00:37:07.879 --> 00:37:08.359
 as Christians

00:37:08.359 --> 00:37:09.099
 today, we

00:37:09.099 --> 00:37:10.099
 have everything

00:37:10.099 --> 00:37:12.460
 that those

00:37:12.460 --> 00:37:13.039
 who feared the

00:37:13.039 --> 00:37:13.379
 Lord in

00:37:13.379 --> 00:37:14.079
 Malachi's time

00:37:14.079 --> 00:37:14.739
 could only look

00:37:14.739 --> 00:37:15.739
 forward to and

00:37:15.739 --> 00:37:16.420
 long for.

00:37:19.539 --> 00:37:20.359
 All God's

00:37:20.359 --> 00:37:20.879
 promises are

00:37:20.879 --> 00:37:21.400
 yes and

00:37:21.400 --> 00:37:21.879
 amen in

00:37:21.879 --> 00:37:22.219
 Christ,

00:37:23.460 --> 00:37:23.960
 and therefore

00:37:23.960 --> 00:37:24.539
 in us as

00:37:24.539 --> 00:37:24.900
 Christians.

00:37:26.339 --> 00:37:27.059
 So I just

00:37:27.059 --> 00:37:27.619
 finish up with

00:37:27.619 --> 00:37:28.259
 this challenge.

00:37:28.559 --> 00:37:28.960
 The challenge

00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:29.519
 is really the

00:37:29.519 --> 00:37:29.920
 same as it's

00:37:29.920 --> 00:37:30.440
 been every

00:37:30.440 --> 00:37:31.239
 day and

00:37:31.239 --> 00:37:31.739
 always been

00:37:31.739 --> 00:37:32.219
 for God's

00:37:32.219 --> 00:37:32.440
 people.

00:37:34.219 --> 00:37:34.880
 Will we

00:37:34.880 --> 00:37:35.960
 live in

00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:36.619
 the righteousness

00:37:36.619 --> 00:37:37.239
 as now

00:37:37.239 --> 00:37:37.900
 ours in

00:37:37.900 --> 00:37:38.320
 Christ,

00:37:40.519 --> 00:37:41.199
 and thereby

00:37:41.199 --> 00:37:44.000
 show the

00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:44.860
 Lord to

00:37:44.860 --> 00:37:45.500
 be worthy,

00:37:46.500 --> 00:37:47.719
 to be

00:37:47.719 --> 00:37:48.259
 served and

00:37:48.259 --> 00:37:48.539
 honored?

00:37:48.539 --> 00:37:48.599
 God?

00:37:54.480 --> 00:37:55.039
 It's a very

00:37:55.039 --> 00:37:55.759
 personal question.

00:37:56.199 --> 00:37:56.719
 Use the

00:37:56.719 --> 00:37:57.199
 language of

00:37:57.199 --> 00:37:57.739
 chapter 2,

00:37:57.779 --> 00:37:58.079
 verse 2.

00:37:58.199 --> 00:37:58.619
 Will we

00:37:58.619 --> 00:37:59.119
 set our

00:37:59.119 --> 00:37:59.699
 hearts and

00:37:59.699 --> 00:38:01.300
 minds to

00:38:01.300 --> 00:38:01.940
 honor God?

00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:05.380
 So the

00:38:05.380 --> 00:38:06.079
 reality is for

00:38:06.079 --> 00:38:06.320
 us as

00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:06.779
 Christians, we

00:38:06.779 --> 00:38:07.840
 can still be

00:38:07.840 --> 00:38:08.420
 Christians and

00:38:08.420 --> 00:38:09.239
 go through the

00:38:09.239 --> 00:38:10.599
 Christian life as

00:38:10.599 --> 00:38:11.739
 a box-ticking

00:38:11.739 --> 00:38:12.559
 exercise.

00:38:12.559 --> 00:38:13.239
 God's

00:38:13.239 --> 00:38:13.559
 life.

00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:16.219
 That is a

00:38:16.219 --> 00:38:16.960
 relationship with

00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:17.500
 God that's a

00:38:17.500 --> 00:38:19.299
 mile wide and a

00:38:19.299 --> 00:38:19.980
 centimeter deep.

00:38:25.239 --> 00:38:26.259
 We have so much

00:38:26.259 --> 00:38:27.659
 privilege, so much

00:38:27.659 --> 00:38:28.960
 more privilege than

00:38:28.960 --> 00:38:29.420
 the people of

00:38:29.420 --> 00:38:30.179
 Malachi's day,

00:38:30.799 --> 00:38:31.699
 because we have the

00:38:31.699 --> 00:38:32.480
 reality of the

00:38:32.480 --> 00:38:33.559
 healing and the

00:38:33.559 --> 00:38:34.380
 reality of God's

00:38:34.380 --> 00:38:34.880
 enabling and

00:38:34.880 --> 00:38:35.679
 empowering spirit

00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:36.139
 with us.

00:38:36.139 --> 00:38:39.019
 So, in

00:38:39.019 --> 00:38:39.639
 keeping with

00:38:39.639 --> 00:38:40.559
 what the

00:38:40.559 --> 00:38:41.199
 Lord expected

00:38:41.199 --> 00:38:41.519
 from his

00:38:41.519 --> 00:38:41.940
 people and

00:38:41.940 --> 00:38:42.759
 Malachi's day,

00:38:43.819 --> 00:38:44.359
 since we have

00:38:44.359 --> 00:38:44.759
 so much

00:38:44.759 --> 00:38:45.420
 privilege,

00:38:46.259 --> 00:38:46.679
 since we've

00:38:46.679 --> 00:38:47.239
 experienced so

00:38:47.239 --> 00:38:48.159
 much mercy and

00:38:48.159 --> 00:38:49.759
 grace and

00:38:49.759 --> 00:38:51.480
 love, then

00:38:51.480 --> 00:38:53.500
 our delight

00:38:53.500 --> 00:38:54.259
 ought to reflect

00:38:54.259 --> 00:38:54.519
 that.

00:38:54.659 --> 00:38:55.139
 Our delight in

00:38:55.139 --> 00:38:55.719
 the Lord ought to

00:38:55.719 --> 00:38:56.359
 reflect that.

00:38:59.900 --> 00:39:00.719
 And how do we

00:39:00.719 --> 00:39:01.319
 see delight in

00:39:01.319 --> 00:39:01.639
 the Lord?

00:39:02.199 --> 00:39:03.019
 Well, it's not

00:39:03.019 --> 00:39:03.779
 just words.

00:39:04.719 --> 00:39:05.179
 Delight in the

00:39:05.179 --> 00:39:05.719
 Lord will

00:39:05.719 --> 00:39:07.399
 involve what we

00:39:07.399 --> 00:39:08.099
 say, but

00:39:08.099 --> 00:39:08.839
 primarily it will

00:39:08.839 --> 00:39:09.439
 overflow.

00:39:09.919 --> 00:39:10.339
 It will be the

00:39:10.339 --> 00:39:11.500
 overflow of what's

00:39:11.500 --> 00:39:12.079
 in our heart,

00:39:12.779 --> 00:39:13.579
 overflowing into

00:39:13.579 --> 00:39:14.199
 our actions,

00:39:14.319 --> 00:39:14.779
 actions of

00:39:14.779 --> 00:39:15.219
 obedience,

00:39:16.299 --> 00:39:16.779
 actions of

00:39:16.779 --> 00:39:17.259
 praise,

00:39:18.919 --> 00:39:19.480
 actions of

00:39:19.480 --> 00:39:20.019
 struggle,

00:39:21.379 --> 00:39:22.559
 to be faithful,

00:39:23.339 --> 00:39:23.980
 to show that we

00:39:23.980 --> 00:39:25.059
 esteem the Lord,

00:39:25.339 --> 00:39:26.639
 that is value more

00:39:26.639 --> 00:39:27.480
 than anything else

00:39:27.480 --> 00:39:28.119
 in this life.

00:39:31.839 --> 00:39:32.819
 Will you set your

00:39:32.819 --> 00:39:33.980
 heart to honour

00:39:33.980 --> 00:39:34.379
 the Lord?

00:39:35.719 --> 00:39:37.459
 pray with me

00:39:37.459 --> 00:39:37.759
 please.

00:39:45.199 --> 00:39:46.319
 Lord, forgive us

00:39:46.319 --> 00:39:47.939
 for being utterly

00:39:47.939 --> 00:39:48.980
 self-centred in

00:39:48.980 --> 00:39:49.879
 thinking about our

00:39:49.879 --> 00:39:51.839
 salvation so

00:39:51.839 --> 00:39:53.419
 easily and so

00:39:53.419 --> 00:39:54.099
 regularly, Lord,

00:39:54.139 --> 00:39:54.879
 we think about it

00:39:54.879 --> 00:39:57.259
 in terms of a

00:39:57.259 --> 00:39:58.019
 personal benefit.

00:39:59.000 --> 00:39:59.759
 And Lord, that's

00:39:59.759 --> 00:40:00.179
 all true.

00:40:00.399 --> 00:40:01.299
 We have been

00:40:01.299 --> 00:40:01.679
 forgiven.

00:40:01.679 --> 00:40:04.179
 we know that we'll

00:40:04.179 --> 00:40:05.079
 no longer be held

00:40:05.079 --> 00:40:06.000
 accountable for our

00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:07.259
 sins and sins,

00:40:07.339 --> 00:40:07.839
 though many of

00:40:07.839 --> 00:40:08.579
 they continue to

00:40:08.579 --> 00:40:08.799
 be.

00:40:10.679 --> 00:40:11.739
 We know, Lord,

00:40:11.779 --> 00:40:12.659
 that we are now

00:40:12.659 --> 00:40:14.259
 joined to you,

00:40:14.579 --> 00:40:15.419
 united with you,

00:40:15.759 --> 00:40:16.679
 and will one day be

00:40:16.679 --> 00:40:17.239
 home with you.

00:40:18.739 --> 00:40:19.599
 And Lord, we find

00:40:19.599 --> 00:40:20.839
 that so amazing,

00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:22.059
 and yet so often we

00:40:22.059 --> 00:40:22.659
 stop there,

00:40:23.019 --> 00:40:23.819
 halfway through the

00:40:23.819 --> 00:40:24.099
 story.

00:40:25.219 --> 00:40:25.799
 And as we

00:40:25.799 --> 00:40:26.859
 discovered in our

00:40:26.859 --> 00:40:27.599
 Colossians series,

00:40:27.699 --> 00:40:28.679
 we don't ask the

00:40:28.679 --> 00:40:29.639
 question, what have

00:40:29.639 --> 00:40:30.279
 we been saved

00:40:30.279 --> 00:40:31.059
 for.

00:40:32.679 --> 00:40:33.279
 So Lord, I pray

00:40:33.279 --> 00:40:34.179
 that we might be

00:40:34.179 --> 00:40:36.179
 those who truly

00:40:36.179 --> 00:40:37.179
 respond to your

00:40:37.179 --> 00:40:37.920
 love and grace and

00:40:37.920 --> 00:40:38.199
 mercy.

00:40:39.159 --> 00:40:39.879
 We pray, Lord, that

00:40:39.879 --> 00:40:40.619
 we might be those

00:40:40.619 --> 00:40:42.019
 who truly delight in

00:40:42.019 --> 00:40:42.480
 you, that we

00:40:42.480 --> 00:40:43.940
 esteem you, and

00:40:43.940 --> 00:40:44.819
 that those around us,

00:40:44.879 --> 00:40:45.679
 Lord, might see us

00:40:45.679 --> 00:40:46.519
 esteeming you, that

00:40:46.519 --> 00:40:48.039
 is valuing you above

00:40:48.039 --> 00:40:49.039
 all else in our

00:40:49.039 --> 00:40:49.379
 lives.

00:40:51.000 --> 00:40:51.900
 Lord, keep us from

00:40:51.900 --> 00:40:54.879
 being mediocre or

00:40:54.879 --> 00:40:57.739
 cold in our worship

00:40:57.739 --> 00:40:58.119
 of you.

00:40:59.639 --> 00:41:01.039
 keep us, Lord, from

00:41:01.039 --> 00:41:02.960
 being segmented in

00:41:02.960 --> 00:41:03.679
 our worship of you,

00:41:03.799 --> 00:41:04.839
 thinking that simply

00:41:04.839 --> 00:41:05.599
 turning up on a

00:41:05.599 --> 00:41:06.639
 Sunday morning is

00:41:06.639 --> 00:41:08.259
 worship, and the

00:41:08.259 --> 00:41:09.139
 rest of the week is

00:41:09.139 --> 00:41:10.559
 ours to live as we

00:41:10.559 --> 00:41:10.900
 please.

00:41:13.079 --> 00:41:14.039
 Lord, help us to

00:41:14.039 --> 00:41:14.659
 delight in you.

00:41:15.819 --> 00:41:17.199
 Help us to make

00:41:17.199 --> 00:41:18.699
 every day a day of

00:41:18.699 --> 00:41:19.619
 worship and praise

00:41:19.619 --> 00:41:20.539
 and thankfulness.

00:41:20.779 --> 00:41:21.400
 In Jesus' name,

00:41:21.599 --> 00:41:21.819
 Amen.

00:41:21.819 --> 00:41:21.920
 Amen.

00:41:21.920 --> 00:41:21.960
 Amen.

00:41:21.960 --> 00:41:22.019
 Amen.